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Alfonsino
Beryx decadactylus Cuvier, 1829
Above and below: A 32 cm long Alfonsino caught on hook and line by D. King at a depth of 400 m, east of Browns' Mountain, south-east of Sydney, New South Wales, July 2003 (AMS I.42787-001). View larger image.
The Alfonsino has a deep compressed body. It has a single short-based dorsal fin. The anal fin has a much longer base and originates below the middle of the dorsal fin. The caudal fin is forked.
This species has very large eyes, a large oblique mouth and small ctenoid scales (more information).
The Alfonsino is red to pink sometimes shading to a silvery pink below.
It grows to 60 cm in length.
This species occurs in most temperate and tropical marine waters worldwide, with the exception of the north-eastern Pacific. It is found in depths from 180 m to 800 m.
In Australia it is known from off northern New South Wales to south-eastern Tasmania.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
The Alfonsino has also been called Imperador, Longfin Beryx and Red Bream. In Australia the official marketing name is Imperador.
Further reading
- Kuiter, R.H. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
- Paxton, J.R. Berycidae in Carpenter, K.E. & V.H. Niem. 1999. The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 4. Bony fishes part 2 (Mugilidae to Carangidae). FAO. Rome Pp. iii-v, 2069-2790.
- Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & R.D. Ward. 1999. Australian Seafood Handbook, an identification guide to domestic species. CSIRO Marine Research. Pp. 461.
